Friday, December 23, 2011

Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!

This has got to be the warmest Christmas season on record. It's literally t-shirt and shorts aka {skirt} kind of weather.  I have been very MIA from the blogger world. I work at a hospital....we never shut down which has it's advantages (job security) and disadvantages (never any time off).  When I do have a day off, I'm just sluggish or "lazy" by choice.

I finished my Christmas shopping around the first of December....and I feel so great about it. I decided to run a quick errand to the mall this morning, but  saw the madness. No way will I ever be a last minute shopper....ever! It's not worth the traffic, long lines, or stress. 

My family and I saw one of our favorite Christmas movies A Christmas Story performed as a play at our local community theater. (You'll shoot your eye out!) I was amazed that they were able to fit all of the scenes of the movie into the play. They even had an adult Ralphie narrating the story the same as the movie! Kudos to Greenwood Community Theater.


We had a Christmas get together with our friends. It was fun as alawys, but definately low key. We have some friends that had just had their baby a few days before who could not make it (understandably). We also had some others missing too - so it was not our usual crowd. We did have the option to wear any ugly Christmas sweater. Being that my Mom is a teacher, she was able to help Brant and myself out. Thanks, Mom!

Each year, our church has a live drive-by nativity scene. This was the first year it was not freezing cold {due to global warming} or raining. (It was also the first year we did not have any live animals, which can be a good thing.) I'm pretty sure we have a lot of prayer from our congregation about the weather prior to the event each year. Their were some answered prayers! 

Now, I hardly ever get sick, but I was one sick cookie this year. My head, throat and stomach hurt. It was not my best...and I think our Pastor felt bad for me. I just hope I did not spread the germs when wearing the costumes. Brant and I did get to play Mary and Jospeh the first night. The best part about playing Mary is that she gets to sit down.


Sorry for the darkness in the picture. The shepard on the left is my Mom, Olivia.

Since my brother and sister-in-law live in Charleston, we usually do not get a chance to spend Christmas together. We celebrated Christmas the week before with them along with our extended family on my Mom's side. It was fun. I have not downloaded my pics yet, so I will post soon. We made smores, chatted, played dirty santa and all focused our attention on my nephew Elijah as expected..he's so cute. 

We have some celebrating to do with Brant's family tonight and plan to have a low key Christmas. I'm sure I'll share more details soon.

Friday, December 9, 2011

they are precious in his sight...


Considering that I'm {not} a professional with the camera, I'm pretty proud of myself. I purchased my Nikon SLR camera last year in hopes of having the process mastered by now. However, that is a big fat fail. I honestly do not know more than the day I bought it. My mission in the next few weeks are: watch the DVD (that came with the camera) & read the manual. I'm thinking I'm missing out on so much that my camera can do. Oh well....give me another year and I should have it down pat!! 

Below is our niece & nephew - Brylie & Brayden











Friday, December 2, 2011

Christmas spirit..

It's officially December! Ahh, I LOVE the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season; not to mention the music, movies and memories!  Fun times.

Brant and I adopted an Angel Tree child this year through my work. I must say, I'm pretty proud of myself. I can only {hope} our sweet girl loves her gifts. She will be rockin' with new clothes, boots & toys. I know what we have to give her is probably a fraction of what she needs. We live in a tough society in which it's very easy to identify the less fortunate.  I pray these gifts we give make it easier to "fit-in" with today's surroundings. At least we feel blessed to help out!

For some reason, I wanted to take some outdoor pictures of Brant and myself while the leaves were in full force and incredible. Since Brant and I are working on our 3rd year of our marriage, I figured we needed some 'other' pictures besides our wedding. This will probably be our last professional picture together of just "us"...tear!  No I'm not pregnant...sorry to let you down.  I'm just saying, it may be another two years before we have another professional picture together and a lot can happen during that time. I would hope to have a child or {twins} as Brant soo thinks we will have. Either way, I will be happy.

Boy..I better get off this gibberish...lol!  Here are some sneek peeks as mentioned in the paragrah above. I cannot wait to see the others.




Our Preacher and his wife have a cottage at Connie Maxwell Children's Home here in Greenwood. Each year, he encourages our congregation to visit their campus to see the Christmas lights and take part in other activities. It's always fun, even if you just drive through...It will put you in the Christmas spirit...I promise! It is only going on through this weekend, so be sure to check it out.


Have you seen the comerical for the McDonalds McCafe Peppermint Mocha? 


We made a "pit" stop by McDonalds before going to Connie Maxwell to look at the lights last night. You know, If I'm going to look at lights, I need to have the taste of Chirstmas in my mouth. I will rate this as okay. It gets the job done...but does NOT compare to Starbucks White Chocolate Mocha....oh well~

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Two is better than one!

Congratulations to Abbeville High School for winning yet another State Championship!  We're proud of the panthers. They made history by successfully achieving the title for two consecutive years in a row. That's an accomplishment in itself.

Final score 20-0

Friday, November 18, 2011

Leaves, Panthers & Shopping!

Here is another totally random blog; get excited!! 
I'm really LOVING the leaves. I'm sure it pains my husband for me to write this, since he blows the driveway about every other day (which is an understatement). Oh well, they are b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l!  I want to snag some outside pics before they are gone.

My Alma mater  (Abbeville High) is playing for the Upper State Championship tonight. Go Panthers!  Disclaimer: I come from a school that is pretty awesome at sports, especially football. We typically go far in the playoffs.  It is definitely a town affair each Friday night during the season. My Dad was on the 1971 3A State Championship team. They were honored a few weeks back in which they proudly showed off their newly purchased rings. Bless it, they did not get rings like our guys do now.  My brother was also a member of a State Championship team in 1996.  There is always a debate in the house about which team was the best Abbeville team in history.

Brant's cousin (Jamie) is also in the pictures below.  He is the current head coach at Abbeville.  He also won a state championship as a player in 1981.  He was a coach on the 1996 team my brother played on.  Last year, he was able to win his first State Title as a head coach.  Hopefully, the team wins the next two games and that will be another championship. So, for the record football is a BIG deal for my family - on both sides!






 
Brant and I plan to head to Columbia tomorrow to watch the Gamecocks play and do a little shopping. Some people do not like early games, but I'm all for it. I'm about 1/2 way through on my Christmas shopping - which is good. I plan to be done, fin, complete, by the end of this month. So, if your on my list - you better tell me what you want. We have a slam packed December and there is no time for shopping. Brant and I have to play Mary and Joseph in our church nativity - no joke.

Twenty-five minutes until kickoff. Goooo Panthers!


Tuesday, November 15, 2011

All I want for Christmas....

Don't be fooled, these are definitely "wants" and not "needs".  Here are my top three wants this Christmas season.

Uno

I'm really wanting a Coach cross body bag.

 I love the bag below, just the right color and size.

Coach Kristin Metallic Leather Hippie



If I can't have this bag, something similar will do!

Dos

Call me crazy, but I love to iron my clothes. We just have an iron that gets the job done. I need something that is quick and powerful. Here is what I found:

Rowenta DW9080 Iron



The reviews speak for themselves and the positives definitely outweigh the negatives on this one! The Q and Amazon sales this iron. (I'll be watching the Q to see if this comes on as a TSV.)

Tres

I'm also wanting a new camera lens for my Nikon D5000. I think pictures speak a thousand words...as long as they look professional! I have a good camera, so why not get a good lens! Here are the two that I'm looking at:


Nikon AF 55-300mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR

Compact 5.5X DX-format telephoto zoom lens with High Refractive Index lens element and ED glass is Ideal for capturing distant subjects at athletic events, family pictures, dramatic sunsets, travel and more. VR II image stabilization for handheld shooting at up to 4 shutter speeds slower than would otherwise be possible, assuring dramatically sharper still images and stable video capture.

AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED

This high-power, high-performance 4.3x telephoto zoom with VR image stabilization lens allows better hand-held telephoto shooting ED glass.

I can definitely live without all three of these items. But do feel that I can look and love!



Wednesday, November 9, 2011

What's Cookin' Wednesday

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

We are not eating this for dinner tonight, instead we are having leftovers. boooo!

Last week, some friends and I stopped by Jason's Deli before heading out for a weekend of shopping. I ended up ordering the Managers Special which is 1/2 of a sandwich and a bowl of soup. Playing it safe (due to my picky habits), I ordered the club royale and a bowl of broccoli soup. I mean, you can never go wrong with broccoli soup. Am I right?


I received my sandwich, which was on time and delicious...however they were out of broccoli soup. So, my second choice was to go with the chicken pot pie soup.

Three words: oh. my. word.
 It was fantastic!!

Being that my husband loves when I make chicken pot pie, I thought it would be neat to switch things up and try this tasty recipe.  It can be made two ways depending on how much time you have available. The results should be the same.


Chicken Pot Pie Soup – from scratch
adapted from Food.com
Dinner | Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 50 min
Ingredients
  • 2 cups peeled, cubed potatoes
  • 2 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 1 cup chopped carrots
  • 2 tsp. olive oil, divided
  • 8 oz. boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed (about 2 cups)*
  • 6 tbsp. butter, divided
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 – 2/3 cup)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tbsp. chicken bouillon, ground up
  • 1 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 4 cups milk
  • 1 can (15 oz.) green peas, drained**
  • 1 can (15 oz.) corn, drained**
  • Puff pastry dough (I use Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations)
*If you want to save some time, I like this pre-cooked chicken.
**You can use frozen corn/peas instead of canned. Cook the still frozen vegetables along with the carrots instead of adding them at the end.
Process
  1. Put potatoes in a pot with 1 cup of chicken broth and enough water to cover them. At the same time, put your carrots in a pot with enough water to cover them. Cover and cook both vegetables until fork tender, about 15-20 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, heat up 1 teaspoon of oil in a large dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add half of the cubed chicken to the pan and cook until no longer pink, about 5-10 minutes (depending on how big you cut the pieces of chicken). Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate. Heat the other teaspoon of oil and cook the remaining chicken. Add it to the plate and set aside. If there is any liquid/oil left in the pot, pour it out.
  3. Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot. Add the onions and saute over medium heat until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
  4. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Once it melts add the garlic, bouillon, thyme, pepper, flour and 1 cup chicken broth. Stir until smooth.
  5. Gradually whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat until it boils. Simmer, stirring constantly, for a few minutes until it thickens.
Note: If the soup gets too thick for your liking, add in more chicken broth. If it’s too thin for your liking, try adding about 1/4 cup more flour or cook it longer to let some liquid evaporate.
  1. Stir in the chicken and vegetables. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook, covered, (or uncovered if you want to thicken it more) while you bake the puff pastry.
  1. Roll out your pastry dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned on top.
  2. Add salt and pepper to the soup, to taste. Serve with puff pastry on top.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup – The uber easy way
adapted from Allrecipes.com
Dinner | Servings: 4
Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 10 min
Ingredients
  • 2 cups cooked cubed chicken (If you want to save time, I recommend pre-cooked chicken)
  • 2 cans condensed cream of potato
  • 1 can condensed cream of chicken
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 1 can peas, drained
  • 1 can carrots, drained
  • 2 cups span class=”name”>milk
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • Puff pastry dough (optional if you are trying to keep it low fat)
Process
  1. In large pot, combine all ingredients and heat through, about 10 minutes.
  2. Roll out your pastry dough about 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3×3 inch squares. Bake in 375 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, until puffy and slightly browned on top. Serve on top of soup.

We have family coming in this weekend for a wedding; and I'm happy to say that this soup will definitely be on the agenda!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Keep Calm...Be Thankful!

I cannot believe it's November. It seems like yesterday I was talking about the cicadas that emerged this past Spring. Furthermore, where did Summer go??  I remember it being so unbearably hot this past July in Hilton Head that their was no point in wearing makeup..it would just melt off! It always seems like I am wishing time away for the next season. I have got to stop doing that and live in the moment!

November reminds me to count my blessings. As I reflect over this past year, I realize that my trials do not compare to what other people go though. I have a wonderful marriage, a loving family, my health, a paying job, etc, etc.etc... I could go on and on.  I'm so blessed and I have God to thank for that. I am a true believer that God gives us nothing we can't handle. During the trials, I have to remind myself to "let go and let God" take control.

For a while, I have been looking for a daily devotional specifically written for a woman. For some reason, it seems like I was drawn to read the book, Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. (I kept seeing the title everywhere I looked.) So far it has been wonderful! It's written as if God is talking directly to me. I started reading at the end of October in the book and will continue to read daily for the next year. I just could not wait to begin the book in January; too excited I guess. So, if you want a good devotional - get this book!
I saw a cute idea on Pinterest for a Thanksgiving tree. It seems really easy to make and a great activity to bring out year after year.  Check out the website here: http://befickle.blogspot.com/2010/11/thankful-trees-activity-days.html


If I could slow time down, it would be RIGHT now! Enjoy life, don't sweat the small stuff, and count your blessings!! 

Monday, October 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

Well It's here...
Happy Halloween!!

Our festivities began on Saturday. Every year, it's tradition to go down to our friends house for a little Halloween/Birthday celebration. It's always fun to get together for laughs, fellowship and a little football!

Pumpkin Carving

Each couple was asked to carve a pumpkin.  I would not consider Brant nor myself very 'astistic'. We tend to focus our expertise on trying to win football contests...ha! As a reminder, I will have to remember next year to purchase a pumpkin carving kit. Cutting a pumpkin with a steak knife is not the best tool to use. Also scraping the seeds and slimy mess out makes me want to gag...sorry for the details.

Brant and I never really discussed what we wanted to carve. We thought about a Gamecock and a SC Palmetto tree...but so did our friends. Great minds think alike!  I just wish our pumpkin looked as good as theirs.

So, we went with the St. Louis Cardinals since they just won the 2011 World Series. Yeah!! I'm not much of a baseball fan, but I do have an official Cardinals shirt with Pujols on the back.



We tried! I hope the Cardinals forgive us for making their logo look so B.A.D.
Do you see the nail holding up a piece we accidently cut off?



The competition - aka Palmetto tree, Halloween, None - spelled out, Gamecock and STL Cardinals logo.
We failed big time!

I think we took 5th place.

The Gamecock was my favorite.

Costumes

We also had the option to dress up in costumes. We had Teen wolf, the most interesting man in the world - Dos Equis, A sack of Hell, and a Jersey Shore guido. It was funny! But the most hilarious part was when the Dos Equis man drove Teen wolf around the neighborhood while dancing on the top of a van...aka truck!

Could you imagine? This is what it was supposed to look like:



I did NOT get a picture of this since my camera battery decided to die. But, I'm thinking this will go down in the history books for the best Halloween enterance yet! 

I'll finish up with some pictures from the rest of the night.







We ended the night with a Gamecock win and some great memories!

Happy Halloween 2011

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

WILW: Halloween Edition

Halloween Favorites - Maybe not.

Halloween will be here in t-minus 5 days. For the record, this is not my favorite holiday. Even though I'm a "mayjah" (in my Posh voice), scaredy cat - there are some things that are worth mention.

Candy
1. Wonka Bottle Caps
2. Wonka Runts
3. Reece's Pieces

I'm sure we all have a difference of opinion in this category. These are currently my top three; I have several that are not listed.


Costumes 
I need a scanner for this and will post pictures at a later date!
I'm not much on dressing up as an adult.  But as a kid, we had some pretty generic but cool costumes. I remember dressing up as the Statue of Liberty, a pumpkin, either a Broadway dancer or magician's assistant and Minnie Mouse.  My brother was ALF!!! {I could give away some age on this blog..ha!} We even had a bunny costume that looked almost identical to the one worn by Ralphie on A Christmas Story.  Mental note...I have GOT to find these pictures.


(Nephew Elijah 1st Halloween 2010)

Moving on..

Movies
Again, I'm not to keen on the holiday so why would I torture myself by watching the movies?  I used to get frightened by watching Unsolved Mysteries on Lifetime. If I absolutely have to watch a scary movie, I have two simple rules I follow:

1. I cannot (repeat) cannot go see it at the theatre. Honestly, I do not need an adrenaline rush or a heart attack.
2. I have to watch the movie at home DURING the day (light) with someone with me. No way will you ever catch me watching a scary flick solo!

Sorry - I don't have a favorite in this category.



Decor/Food
Don't worry, I don't dislike everything about this holiday. Maybe Pinterest will help me with this category.








Miscellaneous
I did LOVE watching this show..but not sure if it's considered Halloween. Probably not.



So folks,while you're out having fun this weekend remember to be safe. It's okay to be a little scared!






Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Thankful

"O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." Chronicles 16:34.

We received a praise report from my Mother's oncologist appointment on Monday. CT scans came back normal and everything seems to be healing wonderfully from surgery & radiation. Such a huge sigh of relief!  She will continue to have screenings every three months for the next five years. I pray God continues to protect and heal her so we can call her "cancer free".




Thursday, October 20, 2011

Randoms

I'm proud to announce that all of my Fall decor is now in it's place. PTL!  I'll make a few changes after Halloween; you know - take the skeleton off the front door! We have lots of kiddos in the neighborhood who certainly like to trick or treat.  I'm not too keen on the "trickery" part, but the candy is a nice return on investment. I will also be watching, It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown...very soon. Who doesn't LOVE Charlie Brown??

I made out our Christmas list Thursday night. It seems like it is getting longer and longer. I've only purchased a few gifts throughout the year...I'm sure I will do some major shopping soon. My biggest gripe about shopping is trying to find the perfect gift. It's a total stressor. I guess the older I'm getting...{knocking on 30's door}, the less concerned I'm becoming about finding the 'perfect gift'. Enjoying time with family and friends is {of} most importance.

I'm really loving granola. I have always loved the yogurt parfait with granola at Chic-fil-a. However, for the amount you get - it's a little pricey.


To my surprise, I randomly discovered the caramel apple parfait from McDonald's. It's delicious and somewhat cheaper - which is always good in my book! I'm proud of my healthy eating habits...just still cannot get down with blueberries!!
Zulilly.com is becoming one of my favorite websites. It's main focus/clientele is for moms, babies and kids. Each day, they offer new sales/events that only last for 72 hours before it's gone. You have to sign up to see the merchandice, but they send you emails every day of what they plan to showcase.  Cute website for Moms looking for discounted prices on quality clothes and toys for children. Here is some of the cute suff I found for little girls!!





Go sign up now.

That's all I have folks!